Name: Jake Hyde
From: Columbus, Nebraska
Votes: 0
Better
Safe than Sorry
In
America, roughly 102 people die every day on the road. This means
about 4 people die every hour. This insane statistic needs to be
changed. In order to reduce this number, people need to be educated
and to start caring about their safety. I think I for people to
change, we need to dig a little deeper to help people understand how
to drive safely.
The
rules of the road are not that complicated but require care and
attention. If people neglect or do not know the rules, people will
get hurt, and in some cases die. The first step to staying safe is
being in the right mindset. This not only means you should not be
under the influence of alcohol or drugs but also fully awake. Drowsy
driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving. Our brains can fall
asleep for just a second without you knowing. Within this split
second, you can drift into another lane, or even off the road. The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 72,000
car accidents are caused because of drowsy driving. Also, you need to
know the rules of the road before they start driving. With this
knowledge and mindset, many lives could be saved.
Once
sober, awake, and on the road, you should drive defensively. This
means to drive calmly, with focus, and with safety in mind. Driving
can be intense and fast paced at times and if you are not aware of
their surroundings, accidents will occur. A good guideline for safety
is the two second rule. Try to stay 2 seconds behind the car in front
of you. Always drive with care and put safety first.
While
driving, the more activities that the driver is trying to do, the
chance of an accident is dramatically increased. Activities such as
adjusting your music, dealing with kids, and even opening a water
bottle can almost double the risk of a car accident. The best way to
avoid these distractions is to have a passenger do the activities for
you. Have them adjust your music, open your water bottle, and do
everything else. A passenger obviously cannot eat for you or itch
your foot but let them do anything that is logical. It can save your
life and many others’.
Thankfully
I have never been in an accident, but some of my close friends have.
They were leaving a restaurant and were not really paying attention.
Someone stopped abruptly and they did not stop in time; they hit the
other car. Nobody was hurt but my friend totaled his own car. It was
an eye opener for him and for the rest of us. I would never want
anything like this to happen again. So, to prevent it from happening
to me, I have decided to put safety first when I drive. I would
rather be safe and not sorry. And I challenge everyone to care enough
about their safety to make a change.
